Tilting metallurgical furnace.



PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

J. A. POTTER. TILTING METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N0 MODEL.

liiiiti.

WITN ESSES PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

J. A. POTTER. TILTING METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.26,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

R N E m VIITNESSES Patented September 13, 1904.

JOHN A. POTTER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TILTING METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,712, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186,560. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. POTTER, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Tilting Metallurgical Furnace, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section showing one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section showing another form of the same; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly broken away, showing a modified form of the regenerator and its connections.

My invention relates to the class of tilting furnaces which are employed for extracting metals from ores or for forming and treating mattes and for the mixing of metals or manufacture of steel.

The object of the invention is to provide an endwise-tilting furnace which shall always be connected at its higher and lower ends with the fuel-supply and regenerator-Hues, and thus exposing and highly heating the higher portion of the furnace end and bottom. It is also designed to provide for repairing of the high end and exposed portion of the furnace hearth or bottom and in one form to provide two pockets or compartments in the hearth.

In the drawings, referring to the form of Fig. 1, 2 represents an endwisc-tilting furnace supported in the ordinary manner upon a series of rollers 3, resting on the curved bed plates or supports 4. The furnace may be turned by a curved rack5 through a pinion 6 upon a driving-shaft '7. The curved ends of the furnace fit against the correspondinglycurved portions 8 of regenerator structures 9, which are slidingly mounted upon tracks 10. Each regenerator may be carried upon the track in any suitable manner, and I have shown it as resting on ball-bearings 11, the balls resting in longitudinal grooves in abedplate 12, extending longitudinally to the end of the furnace. The regenerator may be moved endwise by a rod connection 13 with a hydraulic cylinder 14:. This cylinder may also be used to press the regenerator against the end of the hearth to seal the joint. In

case of repairs or when for any reason I desire to obtain free access to the end of the furnace the regenerator structure may be drawn back to a considerable distance. When the regenerator is in its normal position. its side ports 15 and 16 register with stationary channels 17, which lead to a Valve system by which air may be introduced through one conduit and gas through the other, or both conduits connected to the stack, as in the ordinary reversing regenerative systems. I have shown each regenerator as divided into two chambers by a central transverse partition 18, the ascending gases and air being given a tortuous course in rising through the heated refractory shelves or checker-work. I have shown side openings 19, through which collections of dust, slag, &c., may be removed from the shelves. I have also shown each regenerator as provided with an upper swivel-eye 20, by which the regenerator may be lifted and transferred by a crane. The air and gases mix in the passage 21 of the regenerator and flow through the port 22 into the furnace. The regenerator-port 23 is closed on the inlet side and open on the outlet side. The roof of the furnace is provided with curved brick-lined baflie-plates 2%,which shut off the port 23 at the low end of the furnace, the port 22 then being open at this side. At the higher end of the furnace the port 22 will be closed by the end of the furnace and the port 23 will be open. The ends of the furnace are therefore always in communication with the regeneratorports, so that the furnace will 1 continue to be heated when in either tilted position. In this form I prefer to reverse at the times when the furnace is tilted from one position to the other. In the form of this Fig. 1 I show the furnace-hearth as having a central transverse ridge 25, which divides the hearth into two separate pockets or chambers. Each of these chambers is provided with a slag-outlet 26 and a lower metal tapping-outlet 27 at the bottom of the pocket, these outlets loading through the side of the furnace. The working doors 28 are arranged so that in either tilted position those on the lower side will extend substantially horizontally above the level of the bath. In operating this furnace as an open-hearth steel-furnace the bath in the pocket at the lower end may be worked in the ordinary manner. At the same time the pocket at the higher end will be highly heated by the flame and gases,

and thus increase the rapidity of the process when the metal is tipped from one pocket to the other. This higher pocket and exposed end and bottom may also be repaired when in raised position. In this position steel scrap, ore, or other metals or materials may be fed into the upper pocket and then preheated. When the furnace is tilted, the bath may then flow over such material to wash, submerge, and dissolve it. In such case'the materials would of course be fed alternately into the difierent high pockets. This double-pocketed furnace may also be advantageously used for extracting metals from their ores or the formation of mattes. In such case a small amount of metal may be left in the upper pocket to Weld the solid material to the bottom of the furnace and prevent it from floating on the bath when the furnace is tilted.

In Fig. 2 I show a form of the furnace with a plain bottom and continuous vertical regenerator-ports, similar parts being marked with similar numerals with the prime-mark applied. This furnace is especially adapted for steelmaking or as a mixer for blast-furnace metal. In such case the higher end and bottom of the furnace can be repaired without withdrawing the metal, and the metals, ores, reagents, or limestone can be added to the higher end, where they will be heated and submerged by the liqiud metal when the furnace is tilted, thus reducing or increasing the metalloids, &c., as desired. In this form the furnacebody at the higher end will cut off the lower part of the continuous regenerator-port at that end, and the shield will cut off the upper part of the port at the other end. This gives a continuous connection between the furnace and its ports, and the reversing of the heat products may take place at any desired time. The furnace can also be held at any desired position. In this form the gas and air ports are separated by vertical partitions, giving a gas-port 29 and air-ports 30, as in Fig. 3. This port arrangement may be used on either form of furnace.

In either form of the invention the slag metal or matte may be poured out through the end port of the furnace by tilting the low end downwardly until such port is below the port 23. The slag or metal will then pour out into a suitable receptacle traveling upon a track 31. In any case I prefer to slightly withdraw the regenerators before tilting, so

that there is no sliding friction between the curved end-port faces, which would tend to destroy these faces, and after the furnace is tilted to its desired position the regenerators are then moved forward to seal the joint.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. An endwise-tilting furnace is afforded, which is connected to the regenerator-ports in any position. The regenerators can be easily drawn back to give access to the parts or can be lifted away and removed. The upper end and half of the furnace-bottom is exposed for repairs or for the introduction of materials which may be submerged by the tilting operation. The agitation of the bath produced by tilting will promote fast conversion and,

chemical action.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the furnace and bottom and regenerators, the ports and connections, &c., without departing from my invention.

I claim- 1. An endwise-tilting furnace and regenerators located at its opposite ends and registering with its end ports, said regenerators being movable toward and from the portjoints; substantially as described.

2. An endwise-tilting furnace having end ports, regenerators located at its opposite ends and having ports arranged to register with the furnace ports, said regenerators being movable in the line of the longitudinal axis of the furnace, and means for moving the regenerators in such line toward and from the furnace; substantially as described.

3. An endwise-tilting furnace having movable regenerators located at its opposite ends and mounted on tracks, said tracks extending at substantially right angles to the plane of the port-joints; substantially as described.

4. An endwise-tilting furnace, movable regenerators located at opposite ends of the furnace and having ports arranged to register with its end ports and arranged with a space below one end of the furnace to admit a receptacle and means for tilting the furnace below the ports to pour at least a part of the bath from the end port of the furnace into the receptacle; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN A. POTTER.

Witnesses:

H. M. CoRWIN, JOHN MILLER. 

